Device for localizing a wheel electronics unit in a motor vehicle

• US 7,268,678 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Frank, Kuchler, Gregor, Froitzheim, Herbert, Hammes, Stefan, Chakam, Guy-Aymar, Daiss, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/184,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20060012470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 340/444
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders

Abstract

A receiving antenna with a rigid directional pattern, that is to say with an anisotropic receiving sensitivity of the receiving antenna, is used for localizing a wheel electronics unit in a wheel of the motor vehicle. Suitable evaluation of the received electromagnetic signals is provided in order to obtain a functionality achieved by way of the displacement or rotation of the directional antenna in the case of prior solutions. In this respect, a level of the received electromagnetic signal is compared with a predefined threshold value. As the result of the comparison, the wheel electronics unit is localized as being arranged in a wheel of the first wheel group or as being arranged in a wheel of the second wheel group.

Claims

1. A device for localizing a wheel electronics unit in a motor vehicle having a first wheel group and a second wheel group shifted with respect to the first wheel group in a direction of travel of the motor vehicle, the device comprising:

a wheel electronics unit disposed in a wheel of the first wheel group and/or in a wheel of the second wheel group, said first wheel electronics unit having a transmitting device;

a rigid, directionally sensitive receiving antenna disposed substantially centrally between the first wheel group and the second wheel group, within a given margin of tolerance, with reference to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, said receiving antenna having an anisotropic receiving pattern for receiving an electromagnetic signal from said transmitting device of said first wheel electronics unit, and said receiving antenna exhibiting a higher receiving sensitivity in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle than transversely to the direction of travel;

an evaluation device for evaluating an electromagnetic signal received by said receiving antenna by way of comparing a level of the electromagnetic signal with a predetermined threshold value, said evaluation device assigning the wheel electronics unit to a wheel of the first wheel group if the level is greater than the predetermined threshold value, and/or assigning the wheel electronics unit to a wheel of the second wheel group if the level is less than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said directional antenna is a Vivaldi antenna.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said Vivaldi antenna has a transmission section and a receiving section, and said receiving section has a slotted line with a meandering course.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said directional antenna has a receiver device for receiving and relaying a radio remote control signal, different from the electro-magnetic signal, and wherein a processing device is provided for processing the radio remote control signal relayed by said receiver device.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said receiver device includes a printed circuit board for connecting electronic components of a receiving circuit for the radio remote control signal, and said directional antenna is disposed on said printed circuit board.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

said wheel electronics unit is a first wheel electronics unit disposed in the first wheel group and a second wheel electronics unit disposed in the second wheel group;

said directional antenna is one of at least two antennas including a first directional antenna and a second directional antenna, each stationarily mounted to the motor vehicle and each for receiving electromagnetic signals, said second directional antenna having a maximum receiving sensitivity in a direction opposed, within a predetermined margin of tolerance, to the direction of a maximum receiving sensitivity of said first directional antenna; and

a switchover device for connecting said evaluation device to at least one of said first directional antenna and said second directional antenna, and wherein said evaluation device is configured to assign said wheel electronics unit to one of the wheel groups depending on the level of the received electromagnetic signal.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one wheel group additionally includes at least one further wheel, disposed on a side laterally opposite the wheel with reference to the direction of travel and having a second wheel electronics unit for sending out a second electromagnetic signal;

at least one directional antenna includes a first and at least a second partially directional antenna, where the first and second partially directional antennas respectively have a different main receiving direction with high receiving sensitivity; and

said first and second partially directional antennas with the respective main receiving direction thereof are aligned to respectively receive from the corresponding wheel electronics unit of the assigned wheel a maximum level, within a prescribed margin of tolerance, of the electromagnetic signal sent out by the respective said wheel electronics unit.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said switchover device includes a connecting device and said evaluation device is capable of being connected successively to the separate partially directional antennas by way of said connecting device.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein a main receiving direction of a maximum receiving sensitivity of at least one partially directional antenna is aligned in a geometrical direction with a shortest distance to the correspondingly assigned wheel.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein said evaluation device is configured to assign the received electromagnetic signals to the corresponding wheel electronics unit and to the corresponding wheel group by way of a comparison of the respective levels of the electromagnetic signals.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation device is configured to assign the received electromagnetic signal to a corresponding said wheel electronics unit sending the electromagnetic signals out and therefore to the corresponding wheel group by way of a comparison of the respective electromagnetic signal with a receiving threshold value.